Method and system for updating maps based on control feedbacks of autonomous driving vehicles

• US 10,488,205 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2017
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apollo Intelligent Driving Technology Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Baidu USA LLC (Baidu Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hu, Sen, Zhu, Fan, Kong, Qi, Luo, Qi, Yu, Xiang, Zhu, Zhenguang, Fu, Xiaoxin, He, Jiarui, Li, Hongye, Pan, Yuchang, Xia, Zhongpu, Zhao, Chunming, Yang, Guang, Wang, Jingao
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Louie, Wae L
• Application Number:
  US15/532,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20190003839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 701 45
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/16 Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/18 Roll
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/072 Curvature of the road
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3822 Road feature data, e.g. slope data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3848 Data obtained from both position sensors and additional sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases

Abstract

In one embodiment, when an ADV is driving on a road segment, a driving parameter is recorded in response to a first control command. A difference between the first driving parameter and a target driving parameter corresponding to the first control command is determined. In response to determining that the difference exceeds a predetermined threshold, a second control command is issued to compensate the difference and cause the ADV to drive with a second driving parameter closer to the target driving parameter. A slope status of the road segment is derived based on at least the second control command. Map data of a map corresponding to the road segment of the road is updated based on the derived slope status. The updated map can be utilized to generate and issue proper control commands in view of the slope status of the road when the ADV drives on the same road subsequently.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for updating maps for autonomous driving, the method comprising:

recording a first driving parameter of an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV) driving on a segment of a road in response to a first control command issued autonomously at the ADV;

determining a difference between the first driving parameter and a target driving parameter corresponding to the first control command;

issuing a second control command autonomously at the ADV to compensate and cause the ADV to drive with a second driving parameter closer to the target driving parameter, in response to determining that the difference exceeds a predetermined threshold;

deriving a slope status of the segment of the road based on at least the second control command; and

updating map data of a map corresponding to the segment of the road based on the derived slope status.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein deriving a slope status of the segment of the road comprises:

performing a lookup operation in a slope to command (slope/command) mapping table to search and locate a mapping entry that approximately matches the second control command and the target driving parameter; and

obtaining the slope status from the matching entry of the slope/command table.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the slope/command mapping table comprises a plurality of mapping entries, wherein each mapping entry maps a particular control command and a driving parameter to a particular slope status.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the slope/command mapping table was created based on driving statistics of a plurality of vehicles driving on a plurality of types of roads with different slope statuses, wherein driving statistics records control commands issued to the vehicles and responses from the vehicles at different points in time.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein a control command of each mapping entry was issued in order to maintain a vehicle to drive according to a corresponding driving parameter of the mapping entry.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the slope status comprises at least one of a pitch status or a roll status.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second control commands are at least one of a speed control command or a steering command.

8. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

recording a first driving parameter of an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV) driving on a segment of a road in response to a first control command issued autonomously at the ADV;

determining a difference between the first driving parameter and a target driving parameter corresponding to the first control command;

issuing a second control command autonomously at the ADV to compensate and cause the ADV to drive with a second driving parameter closer to the target driving parameter, in response to determining that the difference exceeds a predetermined threshold;

deriving a slope status of the segment of the road based on at least the second control command; and

updating map data of a map corresponding to the segment of the road based on the derived slope status.

9. The machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein deriving a slope status of the segment of the road comprises:

performing a lookup operation in a slope to command (slope/command) mapping table to search and locate a mapping entry that approximately matches the second control command and the target driving parameter; and

obtaining the slope status from the matching entry of the slope/command table.

10. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the slope/command mapping table comprises a plurality of mapping entries, wherein each mapping entry maps a particular control command and a driving parameter to a particular slope status.

11. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the slope/command mapping table was created based on driving statistics of a plurality of vehicles driving on a plurality of types of roads with different slope statuses, wherein driving statistics records control commands issued to the vehicles and responses from the vehicles at different points in time.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, wherein a control command of each mapping entry was issued in order to maintain a vehicle to drive according to a corresponding driving parameter of the mapping entry.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the slope status comprises at least one of a pitch status or a roll status.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the first and second control commands are at least one of a speed control command or a steering command.

15. A data processing system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor to store instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations including

recording a first driving parameter of an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV) driving on a segment of a road in response to a first control command issued autonomously at the ADV,

determining a difference between the first driving parameter and a target driving parameter corresponding to the first control command,

issuing a second control command autonomously at the ADV to compensate and cause the ADV to drive with a second driving parameter closer to the target driving parameter, in response to determining that the difference exceeds a predetermined threshold,

deriving a slope status of the segment of the road based on at least the second control command, and

updating map data of a map corresponding to the segment of the road based on the derived slope status.

16. A computer-implemented method for updating maps for autonomous driving, the method comprising:

receiving driving statistics of a plurality of vehicles recorded when the vehicles were driving on a plurality of roads, wherein the driving statistics includes control commands issued to the vehicles and responses of the vehicles in response to the control commands at different points in time;

for a given segment of a road, identifying one or more control commands that were issued to one or more of the vehicles to compensate prior control commands of the vehicles in order for the vehicles to maintain one or more target driving parameters associated with the control commands;

deriving a slope status of the segment of the road based on the control commands and the target driving parameters; and

updating map data of a map location of a map corresponding to the segment of the road.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein deriving a slope status of the segment of the road comprises:

for each of the control commands and a corresponding target riving parameter,

performing a lookup operation in a slope to command (slope/command) mapping table to search and locate a mapping entry that approximately matches the second control command and the target driving parameter, and

obtaining the slope status from the matching entry of the slope/command table.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the slope/command mapping table comprises a plurality of mapping entries, wherein each mapping entry maps a particular control command and a driving parameter to a particular slope status.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the slope/command mapping table was created based on driving statistics of a plurality of vehicles driving on a plurality of types of roads with different slope statuses, wherein driving statistics records control commands issued to the vehicles and responses from the vehicles at different points in time.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein a control command of each mapping entry was issued in order to maintain a vehicle to drive according to a corresponding driving parameter of the mapping entry.